How to Stay Fit as a Busy Parent

Parenting isn't for the faint of heart, and one of the biggest challenges you have to face after having kids is how to stay fit as a busy parent. After subtracting all the hours that belong to other people, there can be precious little left to spend on yourself (anyone who's had a toddler following them into the bathroom can attest to this).

Even if you do manage to squeak out a free forty minutes, the pressure to fill that with folding laundry or some other household task is real. Parents facing this struggle overwhelmingly deal with a bunch of obstacles, with guilt listing right up at the top, along with no time, and no help.

I have four kids, and at one point three of them were under four years old. Needless to say, my training had to drastically change shape, and I mourned that for a while before I figured out how to work with what I had. Personally, and as a trainer and post-partum coach, I know it's possible to stay strong and fit during these years, so long as you learn to adapt your training to fit your new and constantly changing life.

First, Lose the Guilt

Guilt is not a friend to you in these years. Mothers often say they feel like they've failed when they don't get a "proper" workout in, even if they're running around after kids or taking regular walks. So the first step is to stop discrediting all the exercise you are getting through walks, babywearing, and running around with your kids. It totally counts.

Guilt can also come from taking time for yourself as a parent, but it shouldn't. Parents who stay active report better mental health, better wellbeing, and less parenting stress. Plus, what you do rubs off on your kids. Children of active parents tend to be more active themselves, so when you take time to focus on your health, your kids will benefit from a calmer, happier parent who's showing them the value of staying active throughout life. That's huge.

It shouldn't need to be said, but whoever claims everyone has the same 24 hours in a day has clearly never parented a toddler through an ear infection. Fatigue and the number of people depending on you vary wildly from one house to the next, so comparing your week to someone with no kids will only make you feel worse.

You Don't Need the Workout You Used to Do

If you trained seriously before kids, you might feel frustrated and grieve what you used to do, and that's totally fair. It's also important to know you can get a whole lot done in a short time frame and still see results.

Lower volume strength training is effective and always better than nothing. Even single-set routines can get you gains if you do them two to three times a week. And yes, even trained lifters can get stronger with short workouts that take about the same time as an episode of Bluey.

You can try out our 20 minute upper body workout, or 20 minute leg day if you want proof. How often you work out and how many days you train can change with the season you're in. Sometimes you won't be able to do much of anything because a kid is sick or work exploded, and that's fine. Life gets to have other priorities.

How to Stay Fit as a Busy Parent

The typical advice for staying fit when you're busy is to protect a big chunk of time for your workouts. That's not always reasonable as a busy parent, so you need to have other tricks up your sleeve.

Lift Two or Three Times a Week

Aiming for two or three full-body workouts a week is a good base because if you miss one, you've at least hit all of your muscle groups at least once or twice that week. Body part or upper/lower splits risk you missing entire muscle groups. Build your training around compound exercises, including squats, deadlifts, presses, rows, and carries which work multiple muscles at once.

Supersets are your friend when your time is limited as well. If you're not too winded, alternate two exercises with opposing or non-overlapping muscles back-to-back with little rest. This alone will cut your session time by about half while still getting you similar strength and muscle gain results.

Support your training with Purist® Creatine Plus and a scoop of Purist® Whey Protein afterward, which are super quick ways of supporting your muscle growth and recovery without having to precisely time and plan a post-workout meal.

Walk With Your Kids Whenever You Can

Walking absolutely counts and is hugely underrated for parents. Light daily activity is linked to a lower risk of dying early, and you can do it without having to change or shower or worry about childcare. Strollers or babywraps are a godsend, but you can also hop on a treadmill at home while the kids play nearby or nap, if you're lucky.

My little tribe used to join up with a bunch of other families and go for weekly walks in nature. It helped create a routine around movement and was a great way for the adults to have some much-needed social time. I highly recommend this, if you can.

Read More: What Every Parent Should Know About Treadmill Safety

Train Where You Already Are

A home gym was the single biggest thing that kept me training through the baby years. I could lift during nap time and I didn't need to choose between being home or being at the gym. Even a small home gym or a few pieces of equipment can make or break whether you get a workout in.

You can get a great workout with even just a pair of adjustable dumbbells (that's all I started with). Add an adjustable bench for a lot more variety. Other nice to haves are kettlebells for swings and carries, a plyo box for step-ups, and a rack if you really want to level up or lift heavier.

Read More: How to Build a Home Gym: What You Need to Know

Squeeze Activity In When You Can

You definitely don't have to do a monster session or even do all of your lifts all at once. Splitting up your workout over the day is sometimes the only way you'll get it done. Short chunks of activity can still give you the same blood pressure benefits as one longer session, and short "exercise snacks" can improve your cardio fitness. Fit in some kettlebell swings or squats while everyone's still asleep (no shame in leaning on Purist® Pre-Workout for those mornings), or while you're waiting for the pasta to boil. It all adds up.

Let Playing Count

Chasing your kid around the yard, pushing a swing, and hauling yourself up playground equipment is legit exercise (I'm partial to a show-offy few pull-ups on the monkey bars). Again, these short bursts of everyday movement really do make a difference, and are linked to a lower risk of death and heart problems. When my older toddlers got big enough, they did yoga with me in the living room, which was equal parts movement and comedy.

A Workout Schedule for Busy People

A home workout routine for busy moms and dads with no time is going to be different day to day and week to week, so make any adjustments you need so it works with your life.

How to Stay Consistent With Working Out

Consistency is likely going to be the hardest part because everything is so unpredictable right now. If you can't fit an entire planned workout in, just do whatever amount you can, like a single set of each movement (which still totally counts and can give you results).

You're much more likely to keep training when you accept that your training won't always be what you hope it will be. For me, working with whatever time was in front of me is the only reason I kept training at all.

Whatever you do needs to be doable for you, without the guilt trip.

Takeaway

Staying fit as a busy parent can be tough, but it's tougher when you're hard on yourself and throw in the towel. Just do what you can, when you can and leave guilt out of it. If you can strength train a couple times a week, great, if all you can do is walk with your kids, that's fine. Fit in movement when you have little pockets of time to do it, even if that means looking wacky in the grocery store line while you do some bodyweight squats. This too shall pass and when your kids are older and they have you to look up to, you'll all be glad you saved time for your own health.

FAQs

What are some effective workout routines for busy moms?

Two or three full-body strength workouts a week of about 20 to 30 minutes is a great base. Build your workouts around compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, presses, and rows, and use supersets to cut the time down by about half.

How can I stay motivated to exercise as a mom with a hectic schedule?

Motivation isn't very reliable. Sometimes you have to do the thing because you know how you'll feel afterward - more accomplished, proud, healthy, and less stressed. Try to keep your expectations of yourself reasonable, like one strength session and a daily walk, and anything else can be a bonus to feel great about.